Switch control



Jan. 14, 1941. A. BUTTNER 2,229,001

SWITCH CONTROL Filed Dec. 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR,

Jan. 14, 1941. A. BUTTNER 2,229,001

swncn CONTROL Filed Dec. 20, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR,

I if ATTORNEY.

Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT IGFFKIE SWITCH CONTROL Arnold Buttner, Brooklyn,N. Y., assignor of'onehalf to Trump Products Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application December 20, 1939, Serial No. 310,104 6 Claims. (01. 20038) This invention relates to new and useful imthe operation of the minute and hour hands, with provements in switch controls, and it has particutheir relevant shafts, are, however, merely of the larly for its purpose to provide a combined switch conventional construction. control for radio-clocks, television apparatus, and A time indicating hand 29, forming part of a other similar instruments. circuit closing mechanism, is rotatably mounted With the above and other objects in view, this on a sleeve 30, to one side of a plate 3!; the latter invention consists of the novel features of conhas also secured thereto the dial. plate [6 by means struction, combination and arrangement of parts, of bushings 32. To said sleeve 30 is fixedly conhereinafter fully described, claimed and illusnected a gear 33 by means of set screws 34. The

trated in the accompanying drawings, forming said gear 33 is engaged by a worm 35 secured to .10 part of this application, and in which similar the shaft 36, which is mounted in bearings 31 characters of reference indicate corresponding attached to the plate 3|, as may be seen in the parts in all views, and in which: Figures 2 and 3.

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of my inven- The end of the shaft 36, which protrudes from tion. the housing I5, is provided with a knob 38 by 15 Figure 2 is a transverse vertical sectional view which the time indicating hand 29 may be reguof my invention, as illustrated in Figure 1, showlate'd or set to a predetermined time for the starting the clock mechanism in somewhat enlarged ing of a radio.

elevation. A contact spring 39 carries a pin is, which 7 Figure 3 is a vertical section, taken on the line passes through an aperture 4! and engages an 20 33 in Figure 2. outer contact ring 42 secured to a disk 53, while Figure 4 is a vertical section, taken on the line a second contact spring 44, which carries a. pin 4-4 in Figure 2. 45, passes through the aperture 46 and engages Figure 5 is a vertical section, taken on the line an inner contact ring M, which is also mounted '25 55 in Figure 2. on the disk 43; said disk a3 is secured to the sleeve Figure 6 is a horizontal section, taken on the 33 on the opposite side of the plate 3i line 6-5 in Figure 2. A spring'48 is interposed between the plate 3! Figure 7 is a horizontal section, taken on the and the gear 33 to insure proper contact between line 1-! in Figure 2. the pins 4!) and 45 and the contact rings 42 and Figure 8 is a vertical section, taken on the line 41. 30 88 in Figure 2; while The outer contact ring a2 has secured thereto a Figure 9 is a transverse vertical section, similar bracketor arm 49, which carries a contact spring to Figure 2, but of a modified form, with parts of 59, and has a pin 5| fixedly secured thereto. To

the clock mechanism shown in elevation. the inner contact ring 4'! is secured a bracket 52, l, Figure 10 is a vertical section, taken on the line which is adapted to be engaged at a predeter- '35 Iii-40 in Figure 9; and mined time by the contact spring5il, to close the Figure 11 is a vertical section, taken on the line circuit, as will be hereinafter more fully described. H|| in Figure 9. Adisk 53 is slidably mounted on the shaft 26 Referring particularly to the drawings, and by means of the slot 54 and the set screw 55; said 40 more especially to the views from 1 to 8, includisk 53 carries a triangular raised portion 56, 4O

sive, it indicates the housing of an electric clock, secured to the latter by screws or pins 5'1. having the usual dial I 6 and the motor ll; the When the disk 53 is rotated, this triangular minute hand 18 is attached to a shaft 19, which raised portion, or projection 56 engages the pin carries a gear Eli, cooperating with the latter is a 5| of the contact spring 5% pressing the latter gear 2 I, and a train of gears 22, relatively mountdown against the bracket 52, and thereby closes 45 ed with respect to each other, so as to engage the the circuit referred to above. pinion 23 of a rotor shaft 24, which in turn causes The disk 53 extends into an angular groove 58, the rotation of the shaft 19. which is engaged by an eccentric 59 carried by The hour hand 25 is secured to a sleeve 26, the shaft 69 and supported by brackets 6| sewhich carries a gear 2'! meshing with a pinion 28, cured to a plate 62, which latter by means. of '50 which, in turn, by cooperation of the gears 28}, 2| sleeves 62a is secured to the plate 3!.

and the train of gears 22 with the pinion 23, The eccentric 5.! permits the horizontal adjustmounted upon the rotor shaft 24, causes the hour ment of the disk 53, whereby to provide an enhand to rotate. gagement of a shorter or longer duration between The aforesaid gear arrangements, relative to the pin BI and the raised triangular projection 55, 5

incidentally closing the circuit for a shorter or longer period of time, as may be desired.

Thus, for illustration it may be stated that, if the disk 53 is in a position where the dotted and dash line 63 would be in alignment with the pin 5|, the duration for the closing of the circuit would be one-quarter of an hour, whereas, if the dotted and dash line 54 would be in alignment with the pin 5|, the circuit would be closed for the duration of an hour.

To regulate and clearly indicate these adjustable means, a knob 65 is secured at the end of the shaft 60, this latter knob also carries a pointer 66 adapted to travel over the indicating scale 61 on the top of the housing l5. Wires 68 and 69 leading to a source of current (not shown) are connected to the motor II to energize the latter for the operation of the clock mechanism. The wire 68 is also connected by a wire 10 to the contact spring 44, thereby providing a current for the inner contact ring 41, which, when the contacts 50 and 52 are closed by means of the disk 53 and projection 56, allows the current to pass from the inner ring 4'! to the outer ring 42, and by means of the contact spring 39 and a wire H to one terminal of an outlet 13; the other terminal of said outlet 13 is connected by a wire M to the wire 69.

A radio, when connected by the wire '15 and plug 15 to the outlet 13, will thereby be energized upon closing the circuit.

The wire 10 is connected by a wire 11 to one side of a switch I8 mounted through the top of the housing l5, while the other side of said switch is connected by a wire 19 to the wire II. By closing the switch 18 the current will flow through wires 68 and 11 through the switch 18 and through wires 19 and H to one terminal of the outlet 13; the outer or other terminal of the outlet having been connected, as before mentioned by the wire M to the source of current.

Thus it will be clearly seen that by closing the switch 18, the current will be closed indefinitely, until a reopening of said switch. During this stage the time switch hereinbefore mentioned will-naturally be ineffective in operation.

Referring to the modification shown in the Figures 9, 10 and 11, similar numerals will be used, as before, in said views, but with a prime added thereto.

To the end of the sleeve 30 is secured the disk 43, which, as similarly described before, is provided with an outer contact ring 42' and an inner contact ring 41', these rings are electrically connected by contact springs 39 and 44'. To the outer ring 42 is secured a contact spring 86 pro- Vided with a pin 8|. Another contact spring 82 is connected to the inner ring 41, and has fixed thereon a contact point 83. A bushing 84 is mounted on sleeve 26', said bushing is provided with angular flanges 85 to form a retaining means for an arm 85, said arm is adjustable by means of the slot 81 and adjusting screw 83, the lower end of which projects into the sleeve 26' for the purpose of insuring the simultaneous rotation of the bushing 84 and sleeve 25.

A spring makes the adjusting screw 88 contact the sleeve 26'. The longer end of the arm 88 is provided with a bevelled surface, which by means of the adjusting screw 88 offers an extended surface to be contacted by the pin 81 of the spring 80, which, thus, in turn, determines the relative length of time the circuit is closed.

In order to facilitate the operation of the adjusting screw 88 from the outside of the housing iii, a rod 94 guided in a bracket 92 is at its lower end narrowed for engagement with a slot of the adjacent screw 88, the other end of the rod 5| carries a knob 93 for actuating the latter. A spring 94 is interposed between the knob 93 and the housing I5 to disengage the rod 9| from the adjusting screw 88 after the operative adjustment has been made; the rod 9| then comes to rest against the stop 95.

It is obvious that changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the several parts, as shown, within the appended claims, without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not, therefore, wish to limit myself to the exact construction and arrangement shown and described herein.

What I claim, as new and desire to Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. ,In a time switch of the character described, comprising in combination a gear train, an indicating hand mounted on a sleeve of the hour shaft of said gear train, a worm gear mounted on said sleeve, a worm rotatable by an outside knob mounted adjacent to said worm gear, an insulating disk fastened to the rear of said sleeve, a plurality of slip rings mounted on said insulating disk, a plurality of sliding contacts in engagement with said slip rings, a normally open spring type switch connecting said slip rings and rotatable with said insulating disk, said sleeve and said indicating hand by turning said worm, a cam mounted on the hour shaft of said gear train and fastened to said shaft, said cam being in engagement with said spring type switch once for every revolution of the hour shaft.

2. In a time switch of the character described, comprising in combination a gear train, an indicating hand mounted on a sleeve of the hour shaft of said gear train, a worm gear mounted on said sleeve, a worm rotatable by an outside knob mounted adjacent to said worm gear, an insulating disk fastened to the rear of said sleeve; a plurality of slip rings mounted on said insulating disk, a plurality of sliding contacts in engagement with said slip rings, a normally open spring type switch connecting said slip rings and rotatable with said insulating disk, said sleeve and said indicating hand by turning said worm, a cam mounted on the hour shaft of said gear train and fastened tosaid shaft, said cam being in engagement with said spring type switch once for every revolution of the hour shaft, a normally open push button switch connected across said spring type switch, whereby said spring type switch may be shunted for any length of time ranging from zero to one hour.

3. In a time switch of the character described, comprising in combination a gear train, an indicating hand mounted on a sleeve of the hour shaft of said gear train, a worm gear mounted on said sleeve, a worm rotatable by an outside knob mounted adjacent to said worm gear, an insulating disk fastened to the rear of said sleeve, a plurality of slip rings mounted on said insulating disk, a plurality of sliding contacts in engagement with said slip rings, a normally open spring type switch connecting said slip rings and rotatable with said insulating disk, said sleeve and said indicating hand by turning said worm, a cam mounted on the hour shaft of said gear train and rotatable by said hour shaft and being slidable axially on said shaft, said cam having on one side an annular groove, an eccentric rotatably mounted in engagement with said annular groove, a triangular projection located on the secure by outer periphery of said cam, whereby through the adjustment of said eccentric, said cam may engage said normally open spring type switch for various lengths of time.

4. In a time switch of the character described, comprising in combination a gear train, an indicating hand mounted on a sleeve of the hour shaft of said gear train, a worm gear mounted on said sleeve, a worm rotatable by an outside knob mounted adjacent to said worm gear, an insulating disk fastened to the rear of said sleeve, a plurality of slip rings mounted on said insulating disk, a plurality of sliding contacts in engagement with said slip rings, a normally open spring type switch connecting said slip rings and rotatable with said insulating disk, said sleeve and said indicating hand by turning said worm, a cam mounted on the hour shaft of said gear train and rotatable by said hour shaft and being slidable axially on said shaft, said cam having on one side an annular groove, an eccentric rotatably mounted in engagement with said annular groove, a triangular projection located on the outer periphery of said cam, whereby through the adjustment of said eccentric, said cam may engage said normally open spring type switch for various lengths of time, and plug receptacles connected to said slide contacts, whereby a radio set may be connected and operated by said switch.

5. A time switch comprising a sleeve having a hand, a gear and a disk mounted thereon, said disk carrying contact rings, a cam slidingly mounted on a shaft and being provided with a triangular raised portion, a switch member adapted to bridge the contact rings when engaging said triangular portion, whereby to complete the connection between one wire of an electrical source and one outlet-terminal, the other outlet terminal being connected to the other wire of the electrical source.

6. A time switch comprising a sleeve having a hand, a gear and a disk mounted thereon, contact rings carried by said disk, a cam formed with a slanting surface and guided within a bushing, a spring and a set screw in cooperation for the adjustment of said slanting surface, a rod provided with a knob at one end thereof, the other end of said rod being adapted to contact the set screw, said cam being made to actuate a contact switch, whereby to bridge the contact rings of the disk, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

ARNOLD BUTTNER. 

